I am so grateful for Family, Friends, and Faith. I was going to title it my three favorite Fs or F-words but I didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea or to get offended, ha ha. In all seriousness though today I wanted to write a little bit about each of these.
Family - How does one even start to describe what a blessing it is to have such a loving family. We all know that life gets busy. We all have our individual families with children, work, school activities, church, and lots of things pulling us different ways. What I am grateful for is that when it really and truly matters my family is there for me. Gloria my sweet wife is the rock of our family right now and I don't know what I would do without her strength, love, support, and care. She really has taken care of me not out of responsibility or pity, but because she truly loves me and I love her. I'm grateful for my daughter Zoe, she is such a joy to have and I love watching her grow everyday and she is my motivation to staying positive. If she's so much fun now, imagine how much fun it will be when she's eight, thirteen, or even sixteen? That in itself is reason enough to lay the SMACKDOWN on this cancer.
My parents have been awesome and continue to be a great support, best parents in the world. There hasn't been a day gone by without my mom and dad having called, texted, or visited to know how I am doing and asking how they can help out. Tia Lucinda has been such a blessing as she has been watchful over Zoe as we've been in the hospital and to multiple doctor's appointments. To my dear grandmother, I'm thankful that I'm in your prayers every night. To all my siblings for their great love, hugs, phone calls, texts, visits: Ben and Ness, Jefferson and Maria, Ash and Jake, Cass and Tay, Desi, Josh and Harm, Nick, and Dave.To all my nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins as well.To all our family in Ecuador, we can feel your love, your faith, and your prayers.
I would like to name every individual of our family near and afar but then this would start to sound like the Book of Numbers in the Old Testament and I don't want to put anyone to sleep. Know that I love each of you very much.
Friends - What can I say about friends and I'm not talking about how big my friend list is on Facebook. I'm talking about those wonderful people that come into our lives and make an impact for good. A true friend which so many of you are, isn't necessarily someone who is joined with you at the hip and you have to do everything together and always hang out. A true friend are those that although you may not talk to them everyday or see very often, they will be there when support and friendship are needed most. I've had friends get into contact with me as of late just to let me know my family is in their prayers, I think that is pretty awesome. Thank you for the numerous words of encouragement, the wonderful meals, and the faith filled prayers. A friend said that my family and I need not worry because we have an army praying for us, and that army is comprised of family and friends. Thank you, we love you, and ask for your continued prayers.
Faith - I think that faith is one of the greatest attributes that we can possess. How awesome is it that we can put our trust in someone or something that we haven't seen but we've felt it in our hearts that it is true. Faith for me is trusting that God hears my prayers and answers them. Faith is choosing to make righteous choices and trusting that we will be blessed for doing so. Faith is trusting in God that I will be able to overcome thymic cancer and to be healed from it completely.
I read an article in the June issue of the New Era, an LDS magazine geared towards the youth of the church. In it I read the following words from Elder Neil L. Andersen:
Challenges, difficulties, questions, doubts—these are part of our
mortality. But we are not alone. As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ,
we have enormous spiritual reservoirs of light and truth available to
us. Fear and faith cannot coexist in our hearts at the same time. In our
days of difficulty, we choose the road of faith. Jesus said, “Be not
afraid, only believe” (Mark 5:36).
I really liked the part about how fear and faith cannot coexist in our hearts at the same time. When we fear, we begin to doubt and then our faith becomes shaken. I am reminded of when Peter walked upon the water with the Savior in the New Testament. When he started to fear, he started to sink and asked that he be saved. The Savior then said to him, o thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Faith has never led me down the wrong path and has always been the key to overcoming the challenges and trials I have had in my life. For that reason I am grateful for my faith in a loving Heavenly Father and a loving Savior.
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